Hack 44. Zip command basics

by Ramesh

How to zip multiple files?

  1. syntax: zip {.zip file-name} {file-names}
  1. # zip var-log-files.zip /var/log/*
  2.   adding: var/log/acpid (deflated 81%)
  3.   adding: var/log/anaconda.log (deflated 79%)
  4.   adding: var/log/anaconda.syslog (deflated 73%)
  5.   adding: var/log/anaconda.xlog (deflated 82%)
  6.   adding: var/log/audit/ (stored 0%)
  7.   adding: var/log/boot.log (stored 0%)
  8.   adding: var/log/boot.log.1 (deflated 40%)
  9.   adding: var/log/boot.log.2 (deflated 42%)
  10.   adding: var/log/boot.log.3 (deflated 40%)
  11.   adding: var/log/boot.log.4 (deflated 40%)

How to zip a directory and it’s files recursively?

  1. # zip -r var-log-dir.zip /var/log/
  2. updating: var/log/ (stored 0%)
  3.   adding: var/log/wtmp (deflated 78%)
  4.   adding: var/log/scrollkeeper.log (deflated 94%)
  5.   adding: var/log/rpmpkgs.3 (deflated 68%)
  6.   adding: var/log/spooler (stored 0%)
  7.   adding: var/log/cron.2 (deflated 90%)
  8.   adding: var/log/spooler.1 (stored 0%)
  9.   adding: var/log/spooler.4 (stored 0%)
  10.   adding: var/log/httpd/ (stored 0%)
  11.   adding: var/log/rpmpkgs.1 (deflated 68%)
  12.   adding: var/log/anaconda.log (deflated 79%)
  13.   adding: var/log/secure.2 (deflated 93%)

How to unzip a *.zip compressed file?

  1. # unzip var-log.zip
  2. Archive:  var-log.zip
  3.   inflating: var/log/acpid
  4.   inflating: var/log/anaconda.log
  5.   inflating: var/log/anaconda.syslog
  6.   inflating: var/log/anaconda.xlog
  7.    creating: var/log/audit/

To see a detailed output during unzip pass the –v option as shown below.

  1. # unzip -v var-log.zip
  2.  
  3. Archive:  var-log.zip
  4.  Length   Method    Size  Ratio   Date   Time   CRC-32    Name
  5. --------  ------  ------- -----   ----   ----   ------    ----
  6.     1916  Defl:N      369  81%  02-08-08 14:27  e2ffdc0c  var/log/acpid
  7.    13546  Defl:N     2900  79%  02-02-07 14:25  34cc03a1  var/log/anaconda.log
  8.  
  9. skip..
  10.  
  11.     7680  Defl:N      411  95%  12-30-08 10:55  fe876ee9  var/log/wtmp.1
  12.    40981  Defl:N     7395  82%  02-08-08 14:28  6386a95e  var/log/Xorg.0.log
  13. --------          -------  ---                            -------
  14. 41406991          2809229  93%                            56 files

How to list a content of zip file with uncompressing it?

  1. # unzip -l var-log.zip
  2.  
  3. Archive:  var-log.zip
  4.   Length     Date   Time    Name
  5.  --------    ----   ----    ----
  6.      1916  02-08-08 14:27   var/log/acpid
  7.     13546  02-02-07 14:25   var/log/anaconda.log
  8.  
  9. ..skip..
  10.  
  11.     40981  02-08-08 14:28   var/log/Xorg.0.log
  12.     40981  02-08-07 14:56   var/log/Xorg.0.log.old
  13.  --------                   -------
  14.  41406991                   56 files